Vol. 520 No. 5
147 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to extend working day hours as part of an overhaul of staffing levels in hospitals and that this will be done in the context of the recommendations to the Medial Manpower Forum; and if he as had discussions with the medical organisations regarding the extension of the core hospital working day. [16332/00]
The Medical Manpower Forum is due to present its first report shortly. The main service, training, research and career issues and the principles and approaches to be adopted have, to a large measure, been agreed by the Medical Manpower Forum. The medical organisations are represented on the Medical Manpower Forum. It has also been agreed that the introduction of these changes should coincide with an extension of the core hospital working day. This is necessary if one of the key principles of the forum is to be achieved, that is, the need to provide the highest quality of medical care for those who require the services of hospitals.
